Dakar Vespa Challenge

While doing research on the 1980 Paris-Dakar Rally, I came across the Vespa Dakar Challenge and it instantly went onto my wish list as it reminded me of our own Poser adventures of the Breedsneck Pass Bootcamp in the mud, the Sani Pass Adventure in the snow, and the Baviaanskloof Expedition in the wilderness, that I want more.

This group our adventurers did the Vespa Dakar Challenge in 2012 and will be doing it again this month, 30 Vespas are leaving Barcelona on the 21 September 2014, so please follow their 20 day adventure, 4000km to Dakar across Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal. In the shadow of the high peaks of the Atlas Mountains, through royal cities, from to oasis to oasis through the Mauritanian desert dunes, to finally arriving at the legendary sub Saharan city of Dakar. These adventurers are not professional factory riders, Paris-Dakar racers, nor freaks, but ordinary people who have one thing in common, a passion for Vespa and adventure in the purest form. I agree, like our poser adventures of the past this what it is all about, now I want in.

The Dakar Rally by Vespa

The Dakar Rally is probably one of the most punishing off road motor races of all time if not the most dangerous. It started way back in 1979 from Paris to Dakar then later in 2009 the continent was changed from Europe-Africa to South America because of terrorist intimidations. In the motorcycle category, most people are aware of the dominance of the KTM off road bikes but few even know that this race had already being conquered by the Vespa.

Way back in 1980, 4 Vespa PX200 entered the 2nd Paris-Dakar Rally, although only 2 reached the finish line. Okay that was before the KTM came to power but that was a 2 out of 4 finish which was a 50% compare that to the overall stats 79 out of 211 vehicles crossed the finished line making that only 37%. Yes mad but reliable so there you go to all those BMW and KTM riders out there.

 

Antur Fawr Cymraeg

Yes the adventure bug bites again, this time it is the Antur Fawr Cymraeg or the Great Welsh Adventure. Thanks to Tim Fielding making this video about their adventure in Wales this past May with Jaques Renault's Pianos on the Beach as backing music.

Veni, Vedi, and Vici

Camp fire stories abound about some Vespas resting amongst the rocks in the Fish River Canyon. Above is a Vespa called Vidi standing proudly today, a stark reminder of Julius Caesar’s words “Veni, vidi, vici” translated from Latin “Ï came, I saw, I conquered”. This is a story about 3 Vespas who became an inspiration to all Vespas!

Way before the Posers started making epic Vespa journeys, the Cape Town Vespa Club took on the 2nd largest canyon in the world and the biggest in the southern hemishere, the Fish River Canyon in 1968. I was only an ankle biter when 3 proud Vespas, Veni, Vedi, and Vici, did the Fish River Canyon Expedition. This is the story of 3 legends which although ended in tragedy, their names remain forever engraved in all little Vespas with big hearts that are setting out on their own adventure.

To read the full story, click here 1968 Cape Town Vespa ClubFish River Canyon Expedition. Six friends Tony Beckley, Terry Davidson, Peter Derichs, Aubrey Jackson, Johnnie Johnson, and Graham Nell began with a dream of being the first to put down tyre tracks inside the second largest canyon in the world.

Three Vespas, painted in the colours of a leopard (Vici a 125cc Vespa), giraffe (Vidi a 125cc Vespa), and a zebra (Veni a 150cc Vespa), set off from Cape Town, north to what was then South West Africa or now Namibia.

Once there they lowered the scooters down into the canyon via a winch. Sadly one Vespa Veni was lost when she fell about 30m and was too badly damaged. Never losing hope the expedition continued. It was a struggle at the bottom, with the 2 remaining Vespas making slow progress.

While crossing the river on an inflatable raft, the raft got a puncture and sunk, Vici was lost. The expedition continued slowly with Vidi, the sole remaining Vespa until it too was abandoned due to mechanical problems which the team could not repair.

Although the 3 Vespas did not return from the Fish River Canyon, they did succeed in their task of becoming the first and most likely only vehicles to lay tracks inside the canyon. And changed the hearts of many aspiring adventurers.